Jay Honeck schrieb:
It's been a lively few months. Martin (if you're still out there) we made

yes, 'm still here.

it to Munich for Oktoberfest, where I turned 50 years old by partying with 4

oh well, so I wasn't worth a call ...

million of my closest friends. We drank beer with Croats, Austrians,
Germans, Brits, Irish, Italians, and (of course) Germans, and had a
wonderful time. Man, my Bavarian kin certainly lived up to their advanced
billing -- it was the Mother of All Parties.

I've been there this year for my first time: I entered one entrance and
left about 15 minutes later on the other entrance, down to the subway,
headed away for a couple of stations and went to the German museum.

While we were there, we took a day trip up the autobahn to Salzburg, in your
beloved Austria, and were in awe of the place. There's something humbling

:-)
btw, close by is the hometown/house of the "Trapp family singers". :-))

about eating in a restaurant that has been continuously in business for over
EIGHT HUNDRED YEARS. It sure puts everything in perspective! And, of

yes, just lieje these folks:
http://www.grassmayr.at/_e/index.htm
in business since 1599.

course, sitting in the church where Mozart was baptized was a magical
experience.

And what was the (new?) perspective you won or learned?

We even hooked up with this group's own Markus (largely a lurker, from
Germany, whom we've met at Sun N Fun and Oshkosh) while we were there. He
met us in Munich and gave us the chance to go "off-tour" with a native -- a
real treat after being trapped in buses and cabs. We visited Dachau with
him, both the concentration camp and the city, and marveled at man's
capacity for cruelty -- and beauty.

yes, impressing place.

#m